Does Strauss deserve a recall?

Update: I wrote the post below yesterday, since when Strauss has hit an unbeaten 55 in England's second innings. Has he done enough to win selection or should Shah still be the man who gets the nod? Vote in our poll below.

Across the Tasman Sea, more than 1,000 miles from the petty name-calling between the weed and the redneck, a Test series is about to start, a blessed oasis in the noxious flood of limited-overs cricket that we have had for the past month. England will start their Test series against New Zealand in Hamilton next Wednesday, but who should make the starting XI?

There are three questions, of which the role of Andrew Strauss is the most pressing. Strauss, as we know, was dropped for England's tour to Sri Lanka before Christmas after a bad run of scores going back to 2006, his last hundred coming 13 Tests ago. He has worked hard in the nets during the winter to prove his dedication, although what player ever says that he hasn't work hard? (Apart from Phil Tufnell and that was only ever for effect.) He also, perhaps more pertinently, has a lucrative central contract that was earning him money for doing nothing.

Strauss then arranged to go and play some one-day cricket for Northern Districts in the hope that he would catch the selectors' eyes for the New Zealand tour. It worked. Or rather the declaration of going to New Zealand worked. Maybe the England selectors just didn't want to have to buy him a return ticket. Certainly, one innings aside, he did next to nothing for Northern Districts. Strauss made 106 in one innings and 73 in total in his other four. He then joined England and made scores of 4 and, this morning, 5 against second-string New Zealand bowlers.

It is hard on Strauss, who is desperate to resume his Test career, but as this blogger recalls from the days when he was allowed to chase girls, desperation is rarely reason enough. He should not be considered for next week's match until he shows some form in the middle. Owais Shah, who made 96 on Monday, should take his place. As for the other dilemmas in selection, Phil Mustard and Tim Ambrose are competing for the wicketkeeper's place, with Ambrose apparently getting the nod by being picked for this morning's game (he made 12, more than any of the batsmen apart from Pietersen and Cook); while Chris Tremlett, rather than James Anderson or Stuart Broad, appears most likely to take the third seamer's place in Ryan Sidebottom's absence with injury.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Comments

[Ann]

Collingwood is a far more solid and reliable cricketer than Strauss is. Unfortunately, Strauss is going through a very lean patch. Such is life. He is talented, and I am sure a very decent chap, but if he can't produce the goods on the day, time after time, then it's folly to recall him in hope rather than on solid evidence. It's Shah for me, and of course Collingwood. But Bell does need to pull his socks up.

[Andrew Hinton]

Shah & Strauss

Time to move on and leave Collingwood out

[paul franks]

its a tricky one. thinking ahead to you know what in you know when, i think we need a really solid top 3 with strauss, vaughan and cook, with perhaps cook at 3 where he averages 52. it is hard on shah - perhaps it should be a case of shah or colly at 6? we do need to have a settled top 6 ready for 12 months hence.

[Andrew Yeandle]

I am a keen Andrew Strauss fan and I would like to see him back in the side, but I seem to be of the same opinion of the other writers – that he has not done enough to re-gain his place. Pick Shah and see how he gets on. Let Strauss score some runs in county cricket first.

Andrew Yeandle

[James Brown]

Strauss should not be recalled yet, he has not done enough to prove his form and as such Shah should play. Shah has done enough to deserve a run in the side and he should have played in Sri Lanka instead of Bopara who was picked as an all rounder then Vaughan didn't trust him enough to bowl him. They have asked Shah to prove himself at 6 in the one day which is nigh on impossible, but he has worked hard and has runs on the board this week. Just because Strauss fits nicely into the slip cordon is not enough, I am a huge Strauss fan but he hasn't done enough yet to just breeze straight back in to the team...

[John Jorrocks]

Yes and yes. Shah over Strauss. And, please, no more talk of weeds or pious rednecks.

[Johnmc]

Two things:
1) As one of Andrew Strauss's biggest fans the answer to your question has to be no. Shah has earnt his place and not to play him is madness
2) Nice to have to some cricket to talk/write about